In an article published by L’Osservatore Romano, the prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith also urges pastoral care for divorced Catholics.

Archbishop Gerhard Ludwig Müller, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith

– Wikipedia

VATICAN CITY — The Vatican’s head official on doctrinal matters has reaffirmed that Catholics in irregular marital unions after divorce cannot receive Communion, but he urged that this means it is “all the more imperative” to show “pastoral concern” for them.

“The path indicated by the Church is not easy for those concerned,” Archbishop Gerhard Ludwig Müller, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, said of Catholics who have divorced and remarried civilly.

“Yet they should know and sense that the Church as a community of salvation accompanies them on their journey.”

Catholics in such unions who try to understand Catholic teaching and abstain from Communion “provide their own testimony to the indissolubility of marriage,” he said.

The archbishop wrote about the Catholic approach to remarried divorcees in an Oct. 23 article, "ThePowerofGrace," published in the Vatican newspaper L’Osservatore Romano. The English translation of the article can be read here.

Recurring Controversy

The role of remarried divorcees in the Church has been a matter of recurring controversy.

On Oct. 7 in Germany, the Archdiocese of Freiburg’s office of pastoral care issued a document saying that divorced and remarried Catholics can receive holy Communion if they can show their first marriage cannot be re-entered, if they repent of their fault in a divorce and if they enter “a new moral responsibility” with their new spouse, Spiegel Online reports.

The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith responded quickly to the document, saying it is “in open opposition to the teachings of the Church.”

Archbishop Müller’s L’Osservatore Romano article did not address the Freiburg controversy directly. Its preface noted that the Catholic bishops will hold an extraordinary synod on the pastoral care of families in October 2014.

Drawing on the evidence of Scripture and of Church Tradition, the archbishop said that only a sacramental marriage between a baptized man and a baptized woman has the characteristic of “unconditional indissolubility.”

“Christian marriage is an effective sign of the covenant between Christ and the Church. Because it designates and communicates the grace of this covenant, marriage between the baptized is a sacrament,” Archbishop Müller wrote. Marriage is “not simply about the relationship of two people to God,” but a “reality of the Church”; and the Church may decide on its validity.

He noted that the Church Fathers and the Councils of the Church rejected state divorce laws as incompatible with Jesus’ teaching.

“The Church of the Fathers rejected divorce and remarriage, and did so out of obedience to the Gospel. On this question, the Fathers’ testimony is unanimous,” he said.

The Second Vatican Council in the 20th century also upheld the indissolubility of marriage “clearly and distinctly” in the pastoral constitution Gaudium et Spes.

“Marriage is understood as an all-embracing communion of life and love, body and spirit, between a man and a woman who mutually give themselves and receive one another as persons,” the archbishop said. The indissolubility of marriage “becomes the image of God’s enduring love for his people and of Christ’s irrevocable fidelity to his Church.”

The archbishop noted that the Church has defended the indissolubility of Christian marriage “even at the cost of great sacrifice and suffering.” The schism of the Anglican Church came because the Pope’s obedience to Jesus “could not accommodate the demands of King Henry VIII for the dissolution of his marriage.”

Orthodox Christian Churches, he said, have allowed “a great many grounds for divorce” on the grounds of “pastoral leniency.” However, he was critical of the practice, saying it “cannot be reconciled with God’s will” and “represents an ecumenical problem that is not to be underestimated.”

Modern Mentality

The archbishop warned that the modern mentality is “largely opposed” to the Christian understanding of marriage, its indissolubility and its openness to children. This means contemporary marriages are “probably invalid more often than they were previously,” and so assessment of whether a previous marriage was valid is “important” and can help solve problems.

Archbishop Müller acknowledged that care for the divorced and remarried is a pastoral problem of “significant dimensions.” However, he said that care for remarried divorcees cannot be reduced to the reception of the Eucharist. Rather, they should be encouraged to turn to God.

“God can grant his closeness and his salvation to people on different paths, even if they find themselves in a contradictory life situation,” he said. “As recent documents of the magisterium have emphasized, pastors and Christian communities are called to welcome people in irregular situations openly and sincerely, to stand by them sympathetically and helpfully and to make them aware of the love of the Good Shepherd.”

He pointed to Blessed Pope John Paul II’s 1981 apostolic exhortation Familiaris Consortio as an example of pastoral concern for remarried divorcees. Pope Benedict XVI also addressed their situation in his 2007 apostolic exhortation Sacramentum Caritatis.

“To all of them, we want to say that God’s love does not abandon anyone, that the Church loves them, too, that the Church is a house that welcomes all, that they remain members of the Church, even if they cannot receive sacramental absolution and the Eucharist,” the synod said. “May our Catholic communities welcome all who live in such situations and support those who are in the path of conversion and reconciliation.”

Comments

I recommended her to seek local pastoral care IF she wished instead of being subject to unsolicited, and worse, erroneous “direction” from some. There is a discussion on the Pope and homosexuality on another site and the judgments and lack of compassion is a scandal. Pharisees. Twisting others’ words and sincere posts

Posted by Terry Fernando on Monday, Nov 4, 2013 11:17 AM (EST):

What is pathetic is trying to patronise a person who wants to be saved by ‘feelings’ - instead of warning the person with actual teaching of the church. There is not a single Church Father, Latin or Greek, Ante or Post Nicene, who was sympathetic to anyone whose personal opinion on matters of Faith and Morals was an issue of disagreement.

Posted by A P O'Beachain on Monday, Nov 4, 2013 10:03 AM (EST):

What a ;pathetic piece of judgment. I wrote earlier to JS that- as so often happens she may not have totally accurate knowledge and understanding and guided her toward that, just in case. You jump in with your TF boots and drown her.

Posted by A P O'Beachain on Monday, Nov 4, 2013 8:20 AM (EST):

sad you feel that way. Can anyone local thee help you reconcile your views and the Church IF you need to reconcile your views and Hers, JS

Posted by Terry Fernando on Sunday, Nov 3, 2013 10:49 PM (EST):

If the church (Catholic) has not forgiven you, then you are not forgiven. There are many who think that they do not need the church to be saved, and die in that state. What a tragedy they will face. The church is the only authority by which God forgives sin on earth, or will retain sins (beyond death) not forgiven. Usually, people who have made up their minds will not examine the teachings of the church to see why they are wrong though the information is readily available: They have taken the broad road to destruction. That is what is sad, for them.

Posted by Josephine on Sunday, Nov 3, 2013 10:11 AM (EST):

All of this is so sad. I know as a Christian and a Catholic my heavenly Father has forgiven me…it’s to bad, my religion hasn’t. JS

Posted by Bettie on Thursday, Oct 31, 2013 2:59 PM (EST):

My husband & I were in this very situation.We had strayed from our faith, divorced & now remarried civily. The annullment process seemed daunting but we took that step in fear & humility & it was the best thing we ever did! It was a long grueling 4 years before we were able to be married in our beautiful Church & receive the Eucharist again but it was worth it. The annullment process served almost as a counseling session where we had to really look at ourselves & former relationships & see what we had done wrong & why. It was a time for healing of old wounds, recognizing our part in it & asking our Lords forgiveness. We began to see what a truly sacramental marriage is. I’m so happy we went through it. We will be celebrating our 10th anniversary in March 2014.

Posted by Roseanne Sullivan on Thursday, Oct 31, 2013 2:49 PM (EST):

Susan Alexson, Divorce is not a sin. Remarriage outside the Church is a sin. Again I say that Christ forgave people for their sins but he did not give them a free pass to continue sinning. There is no such thing as an end to a sacramental marriage. Anyone living in a marriage that isn’t blessed by the Church is in a state of sin, and that sin cannot be forgiven without the person stopping the sin. In an unblessed marriage, the couple is either fornicating or committing adultery. Christ never said, just go on fornicating or committing adultery with your current legal spouse. Sure these sins are forgivable, but only with true repentance, which means leaving the sin behind.

Posted by St Donatus on Thursday, Oct 31, 2013 2:37 PM (EST):

Susan Alexson,

We need to be careful. Jesus forgave when the person was sorry for their sins and repented. The Jews of that time marked someone for life, if they were not stoned to death first. Jesus brought in forgiveness. If I rob a bank, then tell the police that I am sorry but keep the money, am I really sorry. If I was sorry, I would likewise return the money.

The same holds true with divorce and remarriage. If we tell God we are sorry, but do not give up the new lover, are we truly sorry. The divorce isn’t the main problem, it is the remarriage. Divorce is a very selfish act. I know, I am divorced, and I divorced because of selfish reasons, just as I married for selfish reasons. If we look at marriage as it should be, a lifelong sacrament of the Church, we may not get into it or out of it as easily. Yes, we may do stupid things in our youth. As a youth, I got in a drunken accident which has caused me physical and emotional pain my whole life. I can’t just take it back by getting a divorce. It was a life long mistake.

We seem to think that just because it is one of God’s laws, that we can back out on it later.

Divorce is a very painful thing, for both spouse and children. Children NEVER outgrow the pain of a divorce. They also don’t outgrow the monetary and emotional scares that they have as abandoned children.

Divorce has totally changed the meaning of marriage at this point. It now is just a emotional connection between two people that involves sex instead of the stable loving relationship that builds a family that loves and cares for the raising of happy well adjusted children.

I feel bad for my own selfish deeds in the past. I was able to get back into Gods favor by great sacrifices to me and my loved ones. God has given me his grace in return and it is well worth the sacrifice. If we fully follow Gods instructions, we WILL live happy lives. For example, in marriage, if both are strong dedicated Catholics, fully putting the other person first in the marriage, what can possibly cause a divorce.

Posted by susan alexson on Wednesday, Oct 30, 2013 6:40 PM (EST):

To the people who commented on my first posting. Again, I say teach the Law- Do you not know that Christ knew the Law and he saw the hearts of sorrow-and simply forgave them. He did not make them go through a complicated process to be forgiven. Divorce is NOT the unforgivable sin.
Teach the Truth- Keep it simple-Offer His Mercy-If they are hungry they will come- If you keep it simple you may see many Catholics return to the Church. Don’t you know that so many people feel guilty and unwelcomed in the Catholic Church since they went through a divorce? Good people who Love the Lord with all their heart- You tell them they can not sit at the table of Christ…so sad! Listen to your Pope. His heart knows Christ-Please, Thank you- I am sorry.

Posted by Roseanne Sullivan on Monday, Oct 28, 2013 12:42 PM (EST):

Susan Alexson, Christ said that God hates divorce. We have to teach true Church doctrine, not give a bogus kind of mercy that is not ours to give. If the person is not repentant and does not renounce his or her sin, there is no forgiveness. When Christ forgave the adulterous woman, He said, “Go and sin no more.” Not,“I know you are sorry so from now on you have a free pass to continue sinning.” The thoughts you express are similar to Luther’s formulation: that we can keep on sinning because Christ’s death covers all our sings, and that is wrong. The greatest of saints would not teach anything except authentic Church doctrine.

Posted by Terry Fernando on Monday, Oct 28, 2013 12:11 PM (EST):

“We are not under the Law.” Then “why teach them the Law”? hmm!

Posted by St Donatus on Monday, Oct 28, 2013 8:59 AM (EST):

I am amazed at the attitude of so many Catholics that somehow our Holy Mother Church is a democracy or government run by men. It isn’t. Yes, men are responsible for carrying out the commands of God, teaching the truth, giving us Jesus Body in the Eucharist, etc, but it is still God’s organization. God is the King of Heaven and we can’t change his teachings to meet our desires.

Sad to say, most Catholics today seem to have abandoned their Catholic identity. That is, we must leave our own desires and needs behind and do Gods will. Marriage was established by God to give us companionship and to bring forth more holy souls (children). Yet, we modern Catholics take this wonderful and holy gift of God and change it to meet our own sinful desires.

I know several holy Catholics whose spouses have divorced them. They recognize that they are still married before God. Rather than use this as an excuse to go out and find another spouse, they have used this as an opportunity to focus on their relationship with God with amazingly good results. These are some of the holiest people I know.

I myself live in a difficult marriage. My wife hates my religion and it makes life difficult. But once when she was gone for an extended period, I discovered that my devotion to God was lessened. Yes, I had the opportunity to be as faithful to God as I wanted, but I became less faithful. I found that my wife’s attitude toward my faith, was in fact forcing me closer to God.

My daily prayer is that my wife might join me in the faith, but I see now that God is using this situation for my own good. I pray that someday, I might become strong enough that my wife might join me in worshiping God as a Catholic. Until then, I will use this as an opportunity to grow in faith.

God Bless Archbishop Mueller and our Holy Catholic Church.

Posted by susan alexson on Sunday, Oct 27, 2013 11:17 AM (EST):

Why do you make things so complicated. Teach the truth. Divorce is sinful and hurts many hearts. But, we are not living under the Law. We live under God’s Grace because he sent his Son, Jesus to die for our sins.
Call the sinners and the outcasts, teach them the Law, but offer them mercy and grace. For the greatest of Saints were taught grace.
Keep Truth simple…

Posted by Richard Moorton on Thursday, Oct 24, 2013 6:02 PM (EST):

In this time the bishops must take up the slack. Good for those who do.

Posted by Carlos Lavastida on Thursday, Oct 24, 2013 10:45 AM (EST):

“Church should stop being the agent for signing the civil marriage license and work on its intrinsic sacramental nature”

Fully agree on this…the current situation is a leftover from French Revolution where the church thought they could compete with the government in defining civil marriage. Now, chickens have come home to roost; ie, in France where the marriage must be conducted by law in a civil ceremony whether later it is solemnized in church or not, the mayors are being forced by law to conduct same sex civil marriages whether their conscience allows it or not. French bishops are silent on matter since any discussion would put them in the untenable position of having to argue they have civil authority in France and responsible and accountable for creation and execution of French law.

CL

Posted by A P O'Beachain on Thursday, Oct 24, 2013 10:05 AM (EST):

What anachronistic nonsense DJH. Jesus began His ministry and raised marriage to a sacrament which could not be done until HE died and rose and people were water-baptised. The Jewish and Gentile cultures had their own tensions and gifts. Today’s ;post-Christian and part-baptised pagan culture offers us much more evidence of rejection of the sacredness of the human person and the sanctity of matrimony and the very meaning of human sexuality. We have had since the Garden but the Snake is a heckuva lot busier today and has science and media and government to drive his lies.

Posted by A P O'Beachain on Thursday, Oct 24, 2013 9:53 AM (EST):

Addressing Catholics prohibited from receiving the Sacrament due to being in an irregular marriage and not yet annulled or separated or living as brother sister.

Posted by Terry Fernando on Thursday, Oct 24, 2013 9:52 AM (EST):

“..they cannot receive sacramental absolution and the Eucharist.” This must mean that the sin is against the Holy Spirit. Thus, the comment(by Stilbelive)eminently deserves a response from the episcopate since those who agitate and facilitate laws that go against divine precept (to permit heinous sins) are also committing sins against the Holy Spirit for which “they cannot receive sacramental absolution and the Eucharist.”

Posted by Gloria Schotten on Wednesday, Oct 23, 2013 6:35 PM (EST):

It’s this simple folks, no equivocation straight from the Bible.——-(-Luke 16:18) ” Everyone who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery, and he who marries a woman divorced from her husband commits adultery.
( Do we contradict God on this? I don’t think so.)
(Deuteronomy 4: 18) Neither shall you commit adultery.

Posted by soundslikeorange on Wednesday, Oct 23, 2013 6:12 PM (EST):

Please help me understand something. So do these people go to hell because they aren’t able to take the obligatory annual Eucharist? In the original article linked above, the Archbishop says:

“It is important to realize that there are other ways, apart from sacramental communion, of being in fellowship with God. One can draw close to God by turning to him in faith, hope and charity, in repentance and prayer. God can grant his closeness and his salvation to people on different paths, even if they find themselves in a contradictory life situation.”

Does he mean that a person can continue in a state of unrepentant defiance until death, having not taken Eucharist for years, and still see salvation? I was under the impression that if a person knows the truth of the Catholic church and rejects it, they are done for.

Posted by DJ Hesselius on Wednesday, Oct 23, 2013 2:59 PM (EST):

An “annulment” or really a “Declaration of Nullity” states that a valid sacramental marriage never existed in the first place. It may have been recognized by the secular legal system, but not by the Church. Marriages are generally presumed to be valid/sacramental until a divorce happens and the “annulment process” is started.

As to the validity/sacramentalness of today’s marriages: things weren’t that much better in Jesus’ time (yes, they had contraception, abortion, fornication and goodness knows what else back then as well), so I don’t think today’s marriages are any less valid than the ones during Christ’s lifetime.

Posted by Jeff on Wednesday, Oct 23, 2013 2:37 PM (EST):

The Freiburg documents sounds a little fuzzy on the matter. That’s why there are tribunals.

Pastors have to give pastoral care to all parishioners living in a state of mortal sin,don’t they? Not just to divorced people who remarry outside the Catholic Church . . .. Why this emphasis on this class of unrepentant sinners who persist in their sinful cohabitation?

Posted by Monica Benoit on Wednesday, Oct 23, 2013 1:34 PM (EST):

What about annulment? That’s recognized by the church right ?

Posted by James on Wednesday, Oct 23, 2013 1:02 PM (EST):

Yes, the laity understands and believes the teaching of the Church on this matter. Regardless, the Church will continue to loose this battle unless She corrects the snails-pace beaurocracy that is suppose to help with marriage, divorce, annulment etc. etc. Come on guy’s, lets preach the Gospel but let’s also reform (used cautiously ;) these policies and procedures that have not and will not help.

Speaking from experience,
J

Posted by Daniele on Wednesday, Oct 23, 2013 12:25 PM (EST):

One can only hope that statements like these can help to calm that wild speculations in the blogosphere that seems to give no credence to the words of Christ, “On this rock I will build my Church and the gates of hell will not prevail.” There is a kind of hysteria that seems to think this one Pope will sink the boat of Peter after it survived all the wildly unfit popes of the Middle Ages. This is the apostasy – not the sermons of the Pope, “Oh you of little faith.”

Posted by Pam on Wednesday, Oct 23, 2013 12:18 PM (EST):

Thank you for upholding this sacrament. Catholic marriages are intentionally undermined in an effort to force the Church’s hand and change the teaching. There are many martyrdoms being suffered by faithful men and women to uphold the truth. It means so much to have the Church confirm the truth!

Posted by Andrew Eppink on Wednesday, Oct 23, 2013 12:14 PM (EST):

“..,Catholics in irregular marital unions after divorce cannot receive Communion, but he urged that this means…”

True of abortionists, abortion partakers and proponents as well? Seems like a lot of talk a no action, enforcement.

Posted by Robert A.Rowland on Wednesday, Oct 23, 2013 11:28 AM (EST):

How can we assume that those who can’t receive sacramental absolution or the Eucharist are in the state of grace necessary for salvation?

Posted by Stilbelieve on Wednesday, Oct 23, 2013 10:56 AM (EST):

If divorced Catholics cannot receive Communion, how in the world can Catholic Democrats, whether elected officials or laity, who give their name identification and support to the only organization in the country keeping the murder of unborn babies - legal - receive Communion with no problem? Can a member of the KKK or the Nazi Party receive Communion?

Posted by J.A.C. on Wednesday, Oct 23, 2013 10:37 AM (EST):

I have known many who have been remarried and they still receive holy communion even though they have not had their first marriage annulled….they are still very close to God and believe that God will not abandon them or condemn them to hell for the choice they have made to be remarried….since the church teaches that remarriage is a sin then why is an annulled marriage ok??..

Posted by A P O'Beachain on Wednesday, Oct 23, 2013 10:32 AM (EST):

A canonist told me once that a Franciscan understanding of marriage created the present disciplines. I also asked a respected canonist who is on Vatican boards and he said that, given today’s culture there are few sacramental marriages. Which is why I often say the Church should stop being the agent for signing the civil marriage license and work on its intrinsic sacramental nature. More so with the pressure to legalise civil unions as equal to marriage

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